Almost Famous
by Szeki
Summary: Only my OCs, no Shepard here. Also, I'm not a native English speaker, so there may be (many) mistakes I haven't noticed. Have fun!
1. Chapter 1

_Welcome to Alliance Military Database._

_Classified information requested_

_Establishing secure connection..._

_... Secure connection confirmed._

She sat back, her face lit only by the holographic screen of the Alliance terminal. It was late at night, the office dark, sterile and unmoving around her. As she waited, stretching out lazily in the chair she found herself out of thougths, staring blankly at the data running down the computer screen. It was less than they had expected. _Doesn't matter_, she thought, initiating the monthly backup protocol, that would copy everything to the heavily encrypted shadow drive on her omnitool. _It's still hundreds of pages of speculations, hypotheses and reports on catastrophic missions. This has to change. At least I won't get to complain about nothing keeping me awake at night._

'Target born on Luna to the famous russian oligarch Dmitri Witte and his mistress blahblahblah...' she muttered while reading. Bad habit, one of many. 'Studied at Moscow State University, master's degree in robotics and VI programming... Alliance scholarship ofc, maybe dispute between father and the illegitimate son? Boooooooring' she scrolled down fiercely. 'Got basic military training, then worked on Noveria, alliance-corporation joint research project... Yeah, that's it!' she exclaimed. 'Six months passed and he went rogue with top secret military property, then disappeared in the Terminus systems.'

It had happened years ago, the target was twenty four back then. She pressed the home button and the screen jumped back to the top of the file. From there, a picture of a young Adam Witte glared smiling at her. The last one ever taken, some time before his daring escape from Noveria. _Cute, but a bit neurotic. Like a fragile lil' baby bird that's fallen out of the nest. _

She tried to imagine what he'd look like now, after 7 years in that lawless hell. Skimming through the dossier, she raised her eyebrows and grinned in excitement. _You've gotten yourself into a serious mess, pal._ _It's a wonder you've survived._

There have been various failed capture attempts over the years, funded by the family, the alliance, by the aliens and so on. Most of them didn't find anything. He'd been too silent, the higher-ups even began considering closing his case. But she felt that he was still out there, that he's still alive. Even though that everybody else's given up finding him. _After all, I only have to succeed, where everybody else has failed. I already like the challenge, Adam._ _Ready or not, here I come._


	2. Chapter 2

'So, a little bird told me that you know Adam Witte.' she said after a while.

The asari girls were kind of a sensation in Cafe Presidium. There were poorly disguised paparazzi in and out of the building, and passers-by from the street were pointing at them excitedly. In turn they flashed smiles through the window, brighter than the Widow, the star of the citadel system. Compared to them, the young asian woman sitting by their table was barely noticeable. Those who caught an eye of her were full of envy and questions. How does some random alliance officer get to meet the twin wonders of the extranet music community?

'Adam? Yeah, I remember him. He used to be such a sweet boy' chirped the cuter one. 'He was the Blossom of our team.' The officer raised an eyebrow with curiousity. 'You see, there is this ancient terran TV series: if I am Bubbles, and sis here is Buttercup, then he'd be Blossom. The one with the brains and responsibility.'

'Ah...' sighed the officer. _At least this way I'll be able to tell which one is which. They are like two peas in a pod._

'We've always wanted to get that cartoon figure inked on him, but we couldn't get him drunk enough. Always full of responsibility, like I said. Now, if only I could remember the title of the show... Hey, sis! Help me outta here!'

'The Powerpuff Girls?'

'Yeah, that one. A couple of times I snuck up on him with the needle while he was sleeping... But Lily, his drone VI thingie always woke him up before I could get down to business.'

'That story's as dumb as it gets, ma'am' declared the sister, Buttercup putting out her ciggy and lighting a new one right away. 'Tell me he's not the reason you're robbing us of our time. And money.'

'I'm afraid he is. What did you think I'd want to talk about?'

'Dunno. Music, parties, rock'n'roll. Or sex of curse.' She grinned and shot a very straightforward stare at the officer from above her shades. _Twinkle, twinkle little whore, close your legs, you're not a door_ – thought the officer in a singsong voice to herself. The officer smiled back politely. 'We are asari, sex's the best we are good at. And we are good at many things' she added. Obviously they were well acquinted with terran culture too, probably to please their human fandom. They looked a little out of place with their futuristic leather jackets and studded wristbands. What they sold as music was a bit similar to the late Jack off Jill. The only difference being that they spiced it up with the inherent asari ability _to make anything hot_. 'You don't look like a gruppie, but you'd make one hell of a slam n' scram.'

'I should feel honored.' the officer smiled wryly. 'Yet I can not leave without your intel on Witte.'

'Sooo... whut? Is this a military interrogation?' asked Bubbles alarmedly.

'If you insist.'

'You have no right...!' Shouted Buttercup and hit the table with her fist. _It's one ugly piece of furniture, but it didn't deserve that hit. God, she is furious! _'We are not under human jurisdiction! And to the best of my knowledge Adam has nothing to do with your military either! We haven't even seen him for years! If you are so interested, go ask him yourself!'

'Yeah, good luck with that' added Bubbles, crossing her arms across her chest.

'He has nothing to do with... ? He's a rogue Systems Alliance scientist, he's been on our blacklist for years now... Don't tell me his past never came up while you worked together!' The twins looked puzzled and exchanged confused glances. 'I guess your silence means that I've just made you change your opinion about him.'

'Yeah. We've never suspected...'

'Avoiding you like that for such a long time... We've never suspected that your military police is a bunch of fucking losers.' They gave each other a high five and laughed. 'And we still don't have to tell you anything.'

'Let me rephrase it for you then' said the officer and leaned back, so that a shadow covered most of her face. 'Adam Witte is wanted by numerous governements for desertion, prolonged and serious criminal activities and for terrorism. He is a disgrace to the people of Earth and the Systems Alliance. 'Buttercup rolled her eyes, Bubbles looked as if she didn't believe her ears. 'We happen to know about your past. That you have worked with Witte on several occassions during his time spent in the Terminus. Of course you have the right to refuse to answer my questions. I'll just have to follow another lead... and my work may get a bit more complicated without your assistence. Yet I can not help, but wonder how much damage the information I'm ought to uncover would cause to your carreer if it leaked out... somehow.'

'Are you... blackmailing us?' Bubbles looked shocked. _Sweetie, you may be asari, but you're still very naive._

'Fuck you.' spat Buttercup.

'Please cooperate.'

'When mom hears about this...' she growled in a low voice, still very angry. _Yeah, I almost forgot about the financially and politically all powerful matriarch that lets her spoiled little angels go pirate on Omega for the hell of it. _The officer showed them a diplomatic smile. 'But for now, you win. Ask away.'

'Start from the very beggining. I want you to tell me everything. I want to know what makes him tick.'

'Fine' said Buttercup, then called the bartender over to them. 'You close. Now.' The poor man tried to argue, but he couldn't even begin. 'You still here?! 'she shouted and soon all the customers were gone, so were the paparazzi. The owner of the place was the last one leaving, he pulled the curtains over, shut down the security cameras and apologized for the inconvenience. 'So where were we? The start... I think we first met him a couple of years ago. As you _very well know_, we were killing time in the Terminus back then. With sis, we partied on Omega, ran with gangs, crushed some skulls at Dolo Station and Zada Ban, did stuff in the Shrike Abyssal and Hourglass Nebula... But after a while we grew bored with it... Sooo we packed our stuff, jacked a ship and joined the only fleet that can rival Pirate Queen Aria.'

'Led by the one and unique Raphael Karnage.' whispered Bubbles.

'That histrionic charmer, Rafe has been raiding the Terminus with his flagship, the Horizon Walker since your species whipped turian ass over Shanxi. He was a captain of your Second Fleet, so he says, dissatisfied with the peace offered by the Council. Except for the fact that he is an ungrateful old bastard, it was fun hanging out with him. You should meet him, you know.'

'And Adam...?' asked the officer.

'That time, he was not a big deal.' Buttercup dismissed her impatience with a wave of her hand. 'Just some kiddo down in the engineering, keeping to himself, mostly talking to his drone and some other guys. There were lots'a misfits like him aboard the Horizon, most of them human. It's a big ship and many joined the crew so that they could disappear forever. There were abducted colonists and fugitives there, disgraced military personnel and people from all walks of life. Hell, even families lived in that place!'

'Ah, the pitter-patter of tiny feet in huge combat boots... ' said Bubbles.

'...and those damned kids would just never shut up.' Buttercupd sighed. As irritated as she seemed, there was nostalgia in her voice. 'There was some salarian there too, a doctor... dunno, hiding or being kept prisoner. I never asked. Never cared to. Adam was crashing at his place, helping him out and stuff. I think they were close.'

'He was so adorable back then...' said Bubbles dreamily. 'As miserable as a big-eyed puppy left out in the rain... You must know the feeling, officer. The kind you just have to take home with you, put under warm blankets and cuddle with him all night long... I think it was the first time for him, seeing an asari.' It was a hard thing, getting the officer to blush, but right now she felt warmth flushing her cheeks. 'After that, we talked sometimes. Early on, he was uncomfortable and I think terrified there, on the Horizon. He was... too gentle for the all steel and violence environment of a pirate fleet. He avoided fights, couldn't even drink properly... Hmm, I think this one figures. After all, he did study engineering... I think once or twice he even mentioned that he had military training. But then again, he always got this little twitch when he had to fire a gun. Seriously, I think he was afraid of hurting other people.'

'But that changed later, right?'

'Yeah. Now he's bad news.'

'If alive.'

'What happened?'

'_She_ happened.' they said in tandem. Their mood just got a lot darker.

'OK, I'm clueless. 'the officer grimaced and held her hands up. 'Who is _she_?'

'Trouble.' said Bubbles, shuddering from the mere thought of her. 'When she first showed up what... after two years...? It took only a glance and I knew she had a couple of screws in her head loose. But Rafe and she, they got together right away.'

'Before she came, 'Buttercup carried on with the story '_we_ were the alpha and omega on the Horizon. They reveled our biotics. We headed the boarding party, we were Captain Karnage's most prized booty. After that, everything was about her. About getting along with her, keeping her pleased and sane. 'The asari teen star's jealosy was obvious even though the cultural differences. _Hell has no fury like a woman scorned. _'She and Rafe, they did some crazy shit together. And the fleet became truly feared because of her.'

'And I think Adam also fell for her.' said Bubbles with some melancholy.

'That must be when he got hurt. It was he – Rafe, who crippled him?'

''Nah, that one – when he lost his arm comes later' Buttercup interjected. 'And it wasn't Rafe at all. He's not the type that goes so far. Sure, he'd've liked a duel for the drama... You see, with Rafe everything must be huge, epic. He is an attention whore. He's lively, enthusiastic and vivacious, but on the inside – he's empty. Shallow. He doesn't really care about feelings, as long as he's in the centre of the happenings. And he knows that, he knows himself very well. And that's why he wouldn't have hurt Adam as gravely as Warlord Raam. Because piracy is business, but love affairs... they're only for show. And he does not cripple, does not kill for show.'

'Adam's the contrary, he is a very private person. I've always suspected that he's kinda shy. Ofc after a while, he learned to play it smart, and step by step, his avoidence became outright secrecy. Sure, you can get to know him, his character and stuff like that. You can make friends with him, even grow to trust him with your life. But you'll never know where he comes from, where he's headed to, how he does what he does.' Bubbles shook her head, and the twins looked almost sad as the tale came to this. The officer watched them in silence, contemplating what she'd just heard.

'So, what happened to Adam and Karnage's girlfriend?' she asked after some time.

'Can't really tell.' said Bubbles. 'It happened over months, we weren't paying attention. Only noticed the change, when Adam first joined the boarding party, as tech support. Got shot in the stomach right away, ouch... but he didn't give up. And with every fight he killed something of what he was, he gave away... dunno, his innocence only to impress her. They met sometimes, talked a bit too. And the saddest thing's that I don't think she got the message at all. He was basically friendzoning himself. As much as you can befriend _her_.'

'Then _that_ happened' said Buttercup. 'The Cam Rahn calamity, over that hanar moon. When he, I guess, got himself killed. But you'll have to ask someone else about that shit, we had nothing to do with it. Sorry, but that's all ma'am. End of story.'

'OK,' she sighed. 'I'll need some names then.'


	3. Chapter 3

'When I told you to ease up a little' she gasped, with one hand covering her smile.

'Whut?' asked the officer.

'I thought you'd put on a pair of trainers, not...'

_Well, this._ Compared to the other military people at the gym, the officer looked like some bird-of-paradise that had escaped from a zoo. _I wonder if there're zoos on the Citadel with earthian animals in'em._ The others wore tops and shorts, futuristic yet smart and their best contribution to society was running on the treadmill creating energy.

The C-Sec lieutenant Blair Summers whom the officer had just made friends with a few days back was struggling to keep her composure in front of her alliance superior. The officer turned up to their 'randezvous' wearing her favourite aloha shirt, lilac biking shorts and worn out gymshoes. The loose shoelaces were flopping about with every step she took. She grinned at her newest training buddy.

'Eccentric's the best' she said 'These're the same sneakers I wore on prom night back in high school.'

'Sure you were elected queen then...!' Blair just couldn't stop giggling.

'Of course I was LT! But I hadta refuse the crown 'cause it didn't go with the rest of my dress.'

Blair burst out laughing uncontrollably. The people around them shot scornful glares at them from under a sweaty brow, not stopping, even for a moment working on that excess fat. The officer, with all her 160 centimetres stood beside her partner. Hands on her belly, as she bent over they were nearly the same height. She stood there shameless however, wondering if there was a shooting range around. With the short legs she had inherited from her asian ancestors she wasn't any good at cardio. The only reason she cared about it was to be able to run away from hopeless situations if needed to. _Combat, social or otherwise – I must be the one with all advanteges._

'And I thought the requirement for being higher up in rank was to lose all sense of humor. Ma'am you proved me wrong' said Blair wiping away tears after the giggles wore off.

'Call me Amy. We're not wearing a uniform right now.'

'I noticed' nodded Blair flashing her teeth and pointed towards a couple of treadmills standing still. As they approched them they put on their wrists the pulsemeter watch and talked. _A bit about me, some stuff about her... How I like it here at the middle of the universe, where I'd been staitoned before. Should I lie to impress her? Nah, not in the mood. _They started jogging at a comfortable pace.

'So how's your investigation going on about that rogue scientist?' asked Blair after a while, panting slightly.

'Slooowly...' she answered. Blair glanced at her checking if she'll elaborate. 'That guy's a mess. And it's not helping that everyone seem to think he's dead... Even his old acquintances, like the twins give me that story.'

'That he died during the Cam Rahn calamity?'

'Yeah.' her stomach tightened. That one, the hijacking of a space station was a nasty one. She didn't know how Adam got there, what he did there, how much of it was his fault... But one thing was sure: Many people died that time, human and alien as well. It was the starting point of the second greatest international shitstorm after the First Contact War with the turians. Adam made a huge mistake being there, with it he'd ensured himself a lifelong manhunt. Maybe it would have been best for him if he had really died back then. 'But I'm sure they lied to me. I have a hunch that they know more than they tell... And there are evidences that he's been seen after that job.'

'And the salarian I helped track down for you?'

Officer Amanda Lee grimaced.

'That slidder gave me a real hard time. In a sense he's more elusive than Adam... there's no worthy information about him around. Not the fact that he's a physician, nothing about him living in the Terminus, nothing that could connect him with Witte, the pirates, or anything at all. According to my research, he's only some grandpa dying of old age with no background, no relatives altogether and nothing on his account. Yet he's being hospitalized at Huerto Memorial, the best private clinic around by far. Fishy, and not because he's an amphibian. Smells like witness protection, maybe agent recovery work for the Secret Tasks Group... The fingerprints are all over this... I mean, footpadprints... Or whatever the geckopeople have for fingers. I just can't see into his case, it's too _alien_. Out of reach.'

'I'm sorry it didn't do anything good.'

'Heads up sweetie, it did! It's true, there're hardly any tracks I can follow, only the image got wider and more accurate. In the end he _did_ give me some useful answers... But it was tricky, getting to him. I knew I could never pressure him to talk, not about the pirate fleet and the time they'd spent together. I had to lean on his empathy... On the fact, that he _does_ care for Witte.'

Lots of things could be said about the officer, but one is sure: she had made her investigation thorougly. It was a long shot, but she'd gone out of her way to get contacts in the berks of the Citadel Security. If there was any chance that they could lead her to the salarian, or later maybe to the other witnesses – she took it firmly. She lied, cheated, dealt with shady characters and basically did anything that needed to be done to get her missions accomplished. Honesty wasn't a constructive part of her modus operandi, and that made her one of the best operatives that could be found.


End file.
